A gas turbine engine generally includes a fan and a core arranged in flow communication with one another. Additionally, the core of the gas turbine engine generally includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is provided from the fan to an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases. The combustion gases are routed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gases through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then routed through the exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
Typically, the turbine section includes one or more stator vane and rotor blade stages, and each stator vane and rotor blade stage comprises a plurality of airfoils, e.g., nozzle airfoils in the stator vane portion and blade airfoils in the rotor blade portion. Because the airfoils are downstream of the combustion section and positioned within the flow of combustion gases, the airfoils generally include one or more features for minimizing the effects of the relatively hot combustion gases, such as, e.g., cooling holes or slots that may provide cooling within and/or over the surface of the airfoils. However, such cooling features may have drawbacks; for instance, the cooling holes may clog with dust or other debris such that the cooling is reduced or effectively eliminated. In addition, even when cooling features are provided, some materials have a relatively limited temperature capability.
More commonly, non-traditional high temperature materials, such as ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials, are being used in gas turbine applications. Components fabricated from such materials have a higher temperature capability compared with typical components, e.g., metal components, which may allow elimination of cooling features and/or increased engine temperatures. Accordingly, using high temperature materials for at least a portion of the airfoils in, e.g., the turbine section of a gas turbine engine may improve the durability of the airfoils, as well as improve time on wing and increase engine performance. For example, utilizing airfoils having a CMC segment may allow performance and durability improvements without greatly impacting manufacturing costs. Moreover, enlarging some or all of the remaining cooling holes may help prevent the holes from clogging with debris.
Therefore, airfoils and/or airfoil segments that overcome one or more disadvantages of existing designs would be desirable. In particular, a CMC trailing edge insert for an airfoil would be beneficial. Additionally, an airfoil comprising a CMC trailing edge segment and ejector apertures defined in a body segment would be useful.